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A few dozen folks gathered 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 8 along Chapman Drive near Hwy. 35 to commemorate the official dirt-moving start of the Radio Road Interchange project slated for completion in 2014. City Engineer Reid Wronski said at the groundbreaking that work begins along Paulson Road within the next week. Once built, the interchange will include on-off ramps, an overpass and roundabouts at the intersection of Radio Road and Hwy. 35. Work will also include extending Paulson Road from the Whitetail Ridge Corporate Park north to Radio Road.

Some of its patrons call the River Falls Shared-Ride Taxi Service the best-kept secret in town. A visit to its office last Friday revealed a bustling little hub where the juggling dispatcher calls to cabs and answers the phone several times a minute: "Taxi." One rider has a clinic appointment, and one needs a ride back from a haircut. An impatient caller checks in every few minutes, finally understanding when the dispatcher explains how the service is one cab short that day. A late-spring snow-and-ice storm had broken a taxi windshield the day before.

Recently published legal notices indicate the approaching dates for open-book and board-of-review appointments in the city of River Falls as well as the surrounding towns. Several dates in May and June give property owners an opportunity to challenge the values assigned by the contracted assessors. According to the River Falls city clerk, the processes are open to all property owners. They first need to make an appointment to see an assessor during the scheduled open-book times.

About 50 wheeled riders in the group WeBike pedaled off together from Veterans Park around 6 p.m. the night of Friday, April 26, for the first community bike ride of the season. Together, the leisure riders follow one of several four-to-five-mile routes. The bicycling season cranks up even more as the community group marks its first anniversary, plans for a local bike-related challenge during national Bike to Work week May 12-18, and celebrates a new status it helped accomplish.

River Falls decided at the April 23 City Council meeting to fill a vacancy on the council by accepting applications until May 15, holding interviews then appointing one of the candidates to fill the seat until the term expires in April 2014. Sitting at-large Council Member David Cronk ran successfully for the District 1 seat after former multiple-term council member Tom Caflisch declined to run for re-election in District 1 this year. The City Council decided at its meeting that the best way to fill the seat was to not hold a special election that would cost taxpayer money and only fill the

Local 95-year-old Roberta Saulsbury said she feels honored to receive a national award for her paper-cutting art from the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), even more meaningful to Saulsbury since she helped establish the local branch in 1976, called the St. Croix-Chequamegon chapter. Saulsbury said she is the only founding member still alive, but the club now has about 45 members, with about 20 more prospects processing their paperwork. She explains that the nonprofit organization promotes historic preservation, education and patriotism.

Anyone not familiar with five-dozen species of birds along the White Pathway can see and learn much more during the third annual International Migratory Bird Day event held rain or shine by the St. Croix Valley Bird Club 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 4, at City Hall, 222 Lewis St. "It's basically celebrating the return of all our migratory birds from the south," explained SCVBC member Mary Roen about the worldwide occasion. The day includes several opportunities to get to know birds with several learning stations for all ages.

Mayor Dan Toland said during Tuesday's City Council meeting, "As everyone knows, after the last election we were left with one open council seat." A memorandum from City Administrator Scot Simpson explained why there is a vacant at-large alderperson position, for which the term expires April 2014. Former Council Member Tom Caflisch declined to run for re-election in District 1 during the spring election. Sitting at-large Council Member David Cronk ran successfully for the District 1 seat.

So where in River Falls can a person find unique artwork, WWII-era jazz music and dancing plus "elegant hors d' oeuvres" all in one place? The nonprofit Community Arts Base answers that question with the 18th annual Spring Arts Gala -- Play it Again, CAB -- taking place 6-11 p.m. Saturday, April 27, at the Riverview Hotel and Suites, 100 Spring St. Tickets cost $25 in advance at several locations in River Falls: First National Bank of River Falls, 104 E. Locust St. Dish and the Spoon Café, 208 N. Main St. Junior's Bar, 414 S. Main St.

Kinni Clayworks opened two years ago as a potter's studio that hosts parties, demonstrates pottery making at community events, works with kids and opens its doors to artists inclined to "throw some clay." Studio owner Jennifer King said the business still offers those services but is now located a few doors away from its original location. Formerly in the lower level 127 N. Main St., she moved the business to 124 N. Riverwalk, starting the relocation in March and finishing recently. She's thrilled to be downtown and with such an "awesome" view of the river.